warhammer40kfandomcom-20200222-history
Salamander (Armoured Vehicle)
The Salamander, also known as a Salamander Scout, is a small, armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the Astra Militarum and based on the Chimera chassis. It is designed primarily for reconnaissance duties and is lightly armed and armoured but moves very rapidly. The Salamander is also used as a lightweight and fast moving command vehicle, as its open-topped design allows an Imperial commander to better coordinate his units. Role The Salamander is used in many roles, including as a scouting vehicle, towing vehicle, and even as a command unit. Equipped with Salamanders and Sentinels (though motorcycles or even riding beasts like the horse are not unknown), a reconnaissance squadron is often at the forefront of an offensive, fulfilling the vital role of scouting the enemy's routes of advance and locating their positions for an attack. Salamander Scout Operating in front of the main Imperial Guard force, these scout units need to be able to provide their own fire support. The Salamander Scout, equipped with an Autocannon and Heavy Bolter, provide this heavy weapon support. Sentinels are extremely mobile and able to operate in nearly any type of terrain, but they are lightweight and unlikely to survive a protracted engagement with the enemy. This is where the more heavily armed Salamander shines. While it is certainly no match for a true main battle tank, it is extremely fast and therefore capable of getting out of harm's way quickly. An armoured vehicle capable of taking on other light vehicles is a highly useful asset, since first contact between enemy forces is often a clash between their light scout units. For mutual protection, Salamander Scouts often operate in tandem, teaming up to provide extra support. One vehicle will provide cover for the other as it moves forward, with each taking turns leading the way. Salamanders are often the vehicles at the very front of an Imperial Guard advance and so are often ambushed or encounter an unexpectedly strong enemy position or unit. When an Imperial Guard regiment is on the defensive the Salamanders are often relegated to a rear area for security duties. Like Sentinels, it is not unusual to find Salamanders guarding supply dumps, headquarters units or patrolling supply routes. During a major offensive, Imperial Guard reconnaissance units often do not have enough vehicles to fulfill all of the necessary missions. In this case, the shortfall is made up by Armour Fist squads operating in Chimeras. A squad will be detached from its parent platoon and company and temporarily attached to the reconnaissance company. Because of this, Armoured Fist patrols and Salamander Scouts often operate together. The Salamander Scout is operated by a 4-man crew that is comprised of a gunner and driver inside the vehicle and a commander and Vox-operator on the rear fighting platform. Due to its reconnaissance role, each Salamander is fitted with unusually potent communications equipment to allow it to report back to the command units in its rear. Direct links to regimental command units, such as Leviathans and armoured company command tanks, are not unusual. Salamander Command When used as a command vehicle the Salamander acts as the personal transport of the Imperial commander during the battle, and is usually outfitted with enhanced communications equipment. The Salamander Command is not meant for front-line combat, and is usually used as just an officer transport vehicle that allows the company or regimental commander to keep in touch with his units. The Vanaheim Pattern of the Command Salamander is fitted with a multi-spectral surveyor as part of its overhead hatch. This advanced piece of equipment provides the vehicle with magnification, night vision, and tracking capabilities. The Salamander Command is armed with a Heavy Flamer in place of the Autocannon usually mounted on a Salamander. Armament to its new location]] The basic scout variant of the Salamander is armed with a top hull-mounted Autocannon to be used as a heavy support weapon for infantry squads and a hull-mounted Heavy Bolter for defensive purposes. The Command variant of the Salamander is used as a light behind-the-lines transport for officers and commanders and thus is only armed with a top hull-mounted Heavy Flamer and hull-mounted Heavy Bolter for defensive purposes. The Heavy Flamer can be replaced with another Heavy Bolter, giving the vehicle better medium-ranged firepower. Both variants can be outfitted with the following enhancements; Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, improved communications equipment, a mine sweeper, a Dozer Blade, rough terrain modifications, a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or Storm Bolter, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers. Variant Patterns *'Vanaheim Pattern' - The standard pattern Salamander Scout and Command Salamader is equipped with a multi-spectral surveyor. *'Gryphonne IV Pattern' - The Gryphonne IV Pattern Salamander Scout makes use of a Gryphonne IV pattern Autocannon. Notable Users of the Salamander *'28th Valhallan Armoured Regiment' - Saw action during the Betalis IV Campaign *'98th Cadian Armoured Regiment' - Used during the Luxor Uprising *'146th Catachan Jungle Fighters Regiment, "The Red Cobras"' *'90th Tekarn Armoured Regiment' - Denkari-Prime Deathworld Campaign *'122nd Cadian Shock Troops Regiment' - Siege of Vogen City during the Khai-Zhan Uprising *'101st Tallarn Armoured Regiment' - First Assault on the Palace of Tears *'2nd Death Korps of Krieg Armoured Regiment' - Battle for Tartarus Hive during theThird War for Armageddon *'8th Palladius Armoured Regiment' - Atria Wilderness Campaign *'114th Cadian Shock Troops Regiment' - Deployed during the Taros Campaign *'1st Death Korps of Krieg Heavy Tank Company' *'409th Tallarn Heavy Tank Regiment' - Saw action during the Taros Campaign *'12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment' - Saw action with extensive use of Salamnder Scouts during the Taros Campaign *'21st Death Korps of Krieg Panzer Division, "Death's Head"' - Used during the Quatara Prime Campaign *'3rd Mordian Heavy Tank Company' *'8th Pardus Armoured Regiment' *'597th Valhallan Armoured Regiment' - Ferik Jurgen, personal aide to the renowed Commissar Ciaphas Cain, was an expert driver, and always made sure the regiment's vehicle park always contained at least one Salamander, since both he and Cain valued the scout vehicle's combinaison of speed and all-terrain capacity. Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications Sources *''Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy'', pp. 129-142 *''Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard'' (Second Edition), pp. 80-88, 249, 261, 267 *''Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign'' *''Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus'', pg. 200 *''Imperial Armour'', pp. 24-27, 41-42 *''Honour Guard'' (Novel) by Dan Abnett Also See *'Imperial Guard Vehicles' Gallery Salamander06.png|A Command Salamander of the 1st Death Korps of Krieg Heavy tank Company Salamander02.png|A Scout Salamander of the 2nd Death Korps of Krieg Armoured Regiment, this particular vehicle fought in the defense of Tartarus Hive during the Third War for Armageddon Salamander01.png|A Scout Salamander of the 114th Cadian Armoured Regiment, this particular vehicle fought during the Taros Campaign against the Tau VanaheimSalamander Command.PNG|A Vanaheim Pattern Salamander Command Vehicle VanaheimPatternSalamanderScoutInteriorDetail.PNG|The Interior Detail of a Vanaheim Pattern Salamander Scout es:Salamander (Vehículo Explorador) Category:Imperial Guard Category:Imperial Vehicles Category:S Category:Imperium Category:Vehicles